If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Google Earth

01-26-2010, 11:12 PM

I have had google earth for some time now and pay a yearly subscription of around $20.00 but notice when veiwing a particular area its three or for years old and am wondering does google ever update it maps to real time or is that an extra expence.

Comment

As far as I know, Google earth updates itself for free, it pulls from the same databases as Google maps essentially. Not sure what all the barriers are to updating, but it's possible there are restrictions on how recent the satellite images that get used can be. While recent satellite images are handy for day to day use for average law abiding citizens, it really isn't vital. When it's available freely on the internet though, criminals and terrorists can put that kind of intel to use in their favor.

I'm not sure where Google gets all its satellite imagery, but if it comes from the US govt. it probably takes quite some time just to be deemed declassified, regardless of where they are images of.

Comment

I believe they did away with the subscriptions about a year ago. I used to have the $20 subscription too, but the last time it came due I got a message saying they were no longer going to offer it, maybe that changed.

"When we build let us think we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work that our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone upon stone, that a time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, "See! This our fathers did for us."
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

Comment

I've never subscribed, just used the free issue. How often do you think it should be upgraded? Also, I'm not sure if this is satillite imaging or just high-altitude aeronautical.

In my area, the photo's were updated sometime within the last two I believe. That's pretty fast for my use. There are also a lot of areas where high-resolution imaging hasn't taken place yet. I'd rather see a lot of that done, then have high population areas constantly updated.

I'm sure there's an awful lot about the process that I don't know... but it sure beats waiting the ten or twenty years that it used to take the Geological Survey team to update it's maps.

CWS

Comment

but at first our area, was a real fuzzy image, (I am guessing Landsat), and now lately they have up the quality of the photos, but now are using the high-altitude aeronautical photos taken by the or for the (same as used by) the department of agriculture for there land measuring, with FSA, new photos were just taken of our area, but not up dated as of yet on Google, but there is a button on my latest down load that will show Historical and when the photo or satellite image was taken, (my guess is they use many different images depending on what and where).
the clarity of the photos (in my area) is I can see the cattle in the pasture, but I have to know where to look and I can see them as dots, the photos are about 5 years old that they have up for my area,
at one time there was a menu tab, that would give the info of when the photo was taken it would cover the area looked at with squares, and dates,

Push sticks/blocks Save Fingers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
attributed to Samuel Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PUBLIC NOTICE: Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil...plus the current state of the economy............the light at the end of the tunnel, has been turned off.

Comment

mine, 17 45.176N 64 37.345W was updated about 3 years ago. i can tell because the original pic was just after we baught the house. the current image was after the spa was removed and some other things are different

BTW we bought the house about 8 years ago and i opened my doors 4 years ago. the van did not exist, for me, before May 2006.

steve

In the never ending struggle to keep the water flowing.... The Poo Poo Cowboy rides again!!!

mine, 17 45.176N 64 37.345W was updated about 3 years ago. i can tell because the original pic was just after we baught the house. the current image was after the spa was removed and some other things are different

BTW we bought the house about 8 years ago and i opened my doors 4 years ago. the van did not exist, for me, before May 2006.

steve

Yes mine has not been updated since May 2006 I see when looking at other places in the world have been updated which makes goggle earth rubbish.

Comment

I'd bet a big part of NOT having the most up-to-date imagery
available to everyone online has to do with national security.

For what the average Joe wants to see an image that is a couple
years old should suffice. When a major disaster like Katrina or the
recent BP oil mess in the Gulf occurs they probably get current
imagery that has been analyzed by HSA before posting online.

"When we build let us think we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work that our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone upon stone, that a time is to come when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, "See! This our fathers did for us."
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)